Sri Lanka youth discard Julian responds to selectors
Sri Lanka under 19 youth discard Julian de Zilva responded to the so called high profiled selectors when he showed his capabilities to guide Colts to the semi finals of the Under 23 cricket tournament with a match bag of 11 for 126 helping them to secure a comfortable 118 run win over NCC in the match concluded at the NCC grounds yesterday. NCC resuming from their overnight score of 15 for 1 had a daunting task of scoring another 290 runs to achieve a win which they failed. Julian who had a haul of four wickets in the first innings wrecked them with another seven wicket haul which saw NCC crumble for just 186. Colts will now meet Moors in the first semi final.
The young left arm spinner was not considered for selection at all after having being one of the leading spin bowlers in the school cricket circuit this season and incidentally was the most surprising omission. Even at the previous edition of the ICC U19 World Cup held in New Zealand the selectors made the same blunder having omitted two of the top players who were both subsequently included upon being highlighted by the ‘Daily Mirror’.
If the selectors would like to recollect who the two players are they were Akshu Fernando and Maduka Liyanapathirana and in fact one of them was one of the top performers in that tournament. It’s pathetic the way this sordid selection takes place every year as some of the selectors even do not know who has performed during the season. This time out too the selectors have turned their backs on some of the most deserving players who should have been in the squad for the forthcoming ICC U19 World Cup due to begin shortly.
However if they were to be asked why some of the deserving players were not included the definite answer would be each and everyone cannot be included and supposedly the best has been selected.
Colts 120 (Imal Liyanage 26, Oshada Fernando 18: Irosh Samarasooriya 3 for 30, Imesh Udayanga 2 for 4, Dushmantha Chameera 2 for 28, Aamil Anaz 2 for 39) and 357 (Chathuranga Kumara 81, Imal Liyanage 73, Shameera Weerasinghe 51, Chathura Peiris 33, Oshada Fernando 25, Akila Dananjaya 21, Hasitha Wickramasinghe 20: Aamil Anaz 4 for 77, Dushmantha Chameera 3 for 85, Irosh Samarasooriya 2 for 91)
NCC 173 (Irosh Samarasooriya 62, Jeffry Vandersay 31, Lahiru Udara 30: Chathura Peiris 4 for 42, Julian de Zilva 4 for 64) and (15/1 overnight) 186 (Sajeewa Salgado 63, Irosh Samarasooriya 38, Yasoda Lanka 21: Julian de Zilva 7 for 62) Moorsdefeat Ragama
Moors defeated Ragama CC by 55 runs in the Under 23 match concluded at the Colts ground yesterday. Moors resuming from their overnight score of 98 for 3 went on to make a score of 233 for 9 before declaring. Ragama CC chasing a target of 255 runs were able to muster only 199.
Moors 272 (Nipuna Kariyawasam 52, Lakshan Rangika 47, Chamikara Edirisinghe 31, Imras Rafi 27: Nisala Tharaka 5 for 58, Chalana de Silva 2 for 45) and (98/3 overnight) 233 for 9 declared (Isham Ghouse 60, Imras Rafi 60, Maduka Liyanapathirana 25, Lasith
Abeyratne 22, Lakshan Rangika 24 n.o.: Nisala Tharaka 4 for 62, Chalana de Silva 2 for 36, Kaushalya Gajasinghe 2 for 43)
Ragama CC 256 (Dananjaya de Silva 87, Eranga Ratnayake 82: Maduka Liyanapathirana 4 for 60, Nipuna Kariyawasam 3 for 32, Lakshan Rangika 2 for 19) and 199 (Dananjaya de Silva 75: Lakshan Rangika 3 for 31, Nipuna Kariyawasam 2 for 43, Maduka Liyanapthirana 2 for 51)
AirForcecrushArmy
Air Force crushed Army by seven wickets in the Under 23 encounter concluded at Rifle Green yesterday. Army resuming from their overnight score of 7 for 1 was restricted to a score of just 158 runs which left Air Force a simple target of 38 runs which they achieved in just nine overs. Air Force too with this win advanced to the semi final where they will meet Tamil Union
Army 287 (Chathura Damith 81, Sanjaya Ilukkumbura 44, Lakshitha Madushan 33, Suresh Peiris 31, Priyan Weerasinghe 31 n.o.: Buddika Sandaruwan 7 for 82) and (7/1) 158 (Lakshitha Madushan 75, Sanjeewa Dikkumbura 39: Shohan Rangika 4 for 72, Buddika Sandaruwan 3 for 55).
Air Force (117/1 overnight) 416 (Angelo Emmanuel 112, Asanka Gihan 65, Rosco Thattil 49, T. Nadeera 45, Wishwa Kanchuka 39, Chanaka Shalinda 44, Supun Navaratne 17, Chanaka Shalinda 18 n.o.: Anushka Samaratunga 6 for 100, Priyan Weerasinghe 2 for 36) and 38 for 3 (Priyan Weerasinghe 2 for 10)